Life was designed to be lived in community.

1 He had to travel through Samaria, 5 so He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, worn out from His journey, sat down at the well. It was about six in the evening. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give Me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8 for His disciples had gone into town to buy food. 9 “How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked Him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” 11 “Sir,” said the woman, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.” 13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again - ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (HCSB)

13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave and strong. 14 Your every [action] must be done with love.”

Intro: My messages during the last 3 weeks and what I will share with you today have been inspired from the scriptures the children will be taught in this week’s VBS Program. Every day in this Big Apple Adventure the kids are encouraged and taught to connect. Connect with faith, Love, Trust, Others, and life! When we can understand this we can truly connect with Jesus.

Today’s connection deals with a Samaritan woman and disciples. Jesus knew of the Samaritan Woman’s past and knew of her present. What He offered was more than a water to quench ones thirst, the water He spoke of was eternal! Once you receive this water you are to go and tell, this is what the Disciples of Christ are to do.

Application: Christ completes the Connection!

1. Receive the living water: vs. 10

“If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.”

Jesus offered the Samaritan woman living water, and she showed an intriguing interest. However, there were some matters that she had to straighten out before she could ever have the living water. There was the matter of sin in her life, of worship, of the Messiah, and of laboring for God. Therefore, Jesus began to discuss these subjects with her one by one.

Living water is "of God." Living water is "the gift" of God.

The word "gift" means it is freely given is not earned and is not deserved. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

During the conversation that Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at the well, she learned that the living water is given by asking for it. The woman had never received living water because she had never known about it and had never asked for it. It was now available simply by asking for it. The conversation that the Samaritan Woman had with Jesus and the water that Jesus was referring too was more than water that was needed to satisfy ones thirst. Jesus was offering Salvation, eternal life a water that would allow you to never worry again about being satisfied.

Living water is the only water that will quench thirst. Mankind has two thirsts: a physical thirst and a spiritual thirst. It seems easy to quench the physical thirst with its worldly desires but the spiritual thirst that Christ offers is a totally different thing. Mankind has a problem, however. They usually misunderstand the spiritual thirst and try to quench it with the stagnant waters of the flesh and of this world. The result is poison and death. “For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.” Jeremiah 2:13 (HCSB)

- The living water comes from Christ. He and He alone is its source. - The living water keeps a person from ever thirsting again. Their inner thirst is gone forever. It is quenched and fully satisfied. - The living water springs up into everlasting life. It will never end. “You will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation,” Isaiah 12:3 (HCSB)

There was no connection between the Samaritan Woman and Christ before the confrontation at the well; however, after Christ revealed Himself to her she received the living water and made a connection to eternal life!

13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again - ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.”

2. Respond to the living water: vs. 28-29, 39

28 Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?” 39 Now many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.”

The Samaritan Woman received Christ which completed the connection; she then immediately responded by going back to her town and told all that had happened to her. She was very excited. The Messiah had confronted her; she had actually met Him, and He had met the need of her heart and life. She had to tell everyone about Him.

What strength this woman had for her witness. She was an outcast from society, had no friends because of the immoral life she had lived. However, meeting the Messiah changed all that. He dealt with her sin and shame. She could now face everyone. They, too, must have the opportunity to meet the Messiah. What a lesson for every believer!

“But set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Peter 3:15 (HCSB)

The response the Samaritan Woman had to the living water changed her life forever!

She made the connection!

3. Reward to the living water: Acts 1:8 (KJV)

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The book of Acts introduces the beginning of the Christian movement (The Way as it has been referred to). The believer’s or Disciples were instructed from Christ to wait until the spirit comes and fills them with the power to go and tell.

The believer's equipping power was to be the Holy Spirit. The disciples had asked about the kingdom, the positions of leadership and authority Christ had promised. They were to receive power, but not the power of worldly recognition, position or wealth. Their power was to be spiritual and supernatural. It was to be the very power of God Himself, of His presence, of His Spirit. God's very own Spirit was to dwell within the heart and life of the believer.

There was a purpose for this power: the believer is given a task by God, a mission to carry out on earth. The believer does not have the power to carry out that task. The power of God Himself, of His Spirit, is needed. Therefore, Christ promises, "Ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you." Both the Spirit of God and His power are promised. The Holy Spirit comes upon believers as an equipping power. The major purpose for His coming is to equip the believer to carry out his task for God.

The believer's task is the great task of witnessing for God. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)

What a difference world evangelization would experience if each believer would simply do what Christ says, IF THEY WOULD SHARE THE SAME LIVING WATER THAT THEY RECEIVED AND RESPOND THE SAME WAY THE WOMAN AT THE WELL DID!